Creativity, C and B Leather: Custom Hand Made Leather Goods

Thankful For My Customers and My Craft

Thanksgiving is upon us and I have much to be thankful for. I have been able to make many cool and unique leather items this year for very appreciative customers. I’m very thankful for people that value my work and allow me to make one of a kind works of functional art!

A custom leatherwork notebook with floral carving. — My World Leather Debut entry, a custom made leather notebook cover.

I’m thankful that carving and making in leather has become a business that I can succeed in. So many people have come to me over the years to make items for special occasions in their lives, be it weddings, special gifts or just unique items they couldn’t find. I’m thankful that this work has allowed me to express the creative fire within me and I’m grateful for the endless sources of inspiration that surround me – nature, people, music, etc. I’m thankful for these inspirations and their ability to keep my work fresh.

I’m thankful for leathercraft!

I’m also thankful for the journey of creating art itself – the messiness, the breakthroughs, the moments of frustration and the ultimate satisfaction of bringing an idea to life and creating something special and unique for my customers. Most of all I’m deeply grateful for the people who connect with my work, who appreciate my efforts, and who support my artistic journey through purchases, encouragement, and kind words. Their engagement validates my passion. And this goes beyond my customers. I’m grateful to my family, friends and mentors for their encouragement. They’ve helped me navigate the ups and downs of this creative business and kept me going when things got tough.

I’m grateful for the wonderful year I’ve had making these unique items and I’m looking forward to many more making all sorts of new and unique items for people. If you are looking for your own unique leather item, contact me to get the process started. I’m eagerly looking forward to my next projects!

A Little Competition…In Custom Leatherwork

Creativity, Leather Carving

If you don’t push yourself you won’t grow.

It’s true of any skill, job or art form. Whether you want to grow in your job, a sport or in art, if you don’t push yourself to reach new heights, learn a new skill or refine what you do, you will just be stuck in the same place. Stagnant.

That is why I enter the World Leather Debut show in Sheridan, WY. I have no illusions that I can actually win at this competition. It is filled with the art work from some of the best leather workers in the world. Not just the US but exceptional artists from Japan, China and Europe. Their skills and styles are diverse and they bring a full lifetime of pursuit of their art to this show. For people like me that make artwork in leather, this show is the pinnacle of our art.

Custom Leatherwork

Whenever I am making custom leatherwork I am always trying to do my best. Each item is made uniquely for that particular customer and I try to make each item as special and exceptional as possible. But making something like this notebook for a competition that includes some of the best craftsmen and women in the world definitely pushes you to another level. It also makes you look more critically at your work. You examine and put more thought into each detail. You know how high the bar is and you think about how you can improve each step so you can get closer to that bar.

Back cover of a leather notebook cover with floral caring design and geometric stamping — Rear panel of my World Leather Debut notebook.

So while this notebook didn’t win any awards, I know it is some of my best work. And I believe I will carry the lessons and insights learned in making it into each custom leatherwork piece I do in the next year, so that next year my work will have leveled up just a little bit and I will be that much closer to that high bar.

If you are interested in a custom leather notebook or journal similar to this one, contact me and I will be happy to make something like this for you.

Finding Motivation

Creativity, Life of a Maker

Ever have trouble finding motivation?

Hand tooling a flower in leather. — Process of carving a flower in leather.

Every artist, no matter what your medium, will run into creative blocks that stop the flow of ideas and creative energy. Sometimes it is a brief feeling that causes you to hang up your tools or put away your brushes for the afternoon but sometimes it’s a feeling that can stifle you for days or weeks. That’s when you have to do something about it.

Don’t get me wrong. Every once in a while taking the afternoon off to enjoy being outside or doing some other fun (and usually unrelated) activity is a necessary break to keep us creative and sane. But if your feeling like your creative juices aren’t flowing and the feeling is hanging on, here are some ideas you can try to overcome the block, find your motivation and get back in the groove again.

Try taking a break

Sometimes it’s the pause that refreshes. Finding motivation sometimes involves a complete break to do something different and reset the brain. Try going outside for a walk or exercising. Changing your mental gears and doing some other activity you enjoy or that challenges you a different way might just be all the break you need to get your flow back on track. This is good when you just need a small break but if your creative block has been going on longer it will probably take more than this.¨

Set a goal

Often our motivation is blocked because the project at hand seems too big or it doesn’t excite us like other projects. I sometimes get this when working on leather projects that don’t involve a lot of artwork or carving, or if it’s a big new project working on something I’ve never made before. When this happens it helps to set small goals to make progress towards the overall completed project. It can be difficult to find motivation when a project seems overwhelming. By setting small goals that are easier to reach you can make progress is small steps. Those steps will help build your confidence and your motivation, all of which helps with finding motivation.

And if you find it difficult to reach your goals or keep on track, tell a friend about your goals. Telling someone whom you can trust can help you feel accountable, especially if they are someone that will remind you of your goals and keep pushing you to reach it.

Make a series of small goals

Small goals can act as manageable steps toward a bigger goal. Setting up small steps can create more manageable goals, and each small goal gets you closer to the overall large goal and builds your momentum towards completing the project and getting your motivation back.

Celebrate success!

As you reach each goal, celebrate your successes! Even small steps are an accomplishment towards completing your project and getting your creative momentum up and running again. Celebrating each positive step resets your feelings towards the project, turning what may seem like a chore into a feeling of accomplishment.

More to come!

Next time we’ll talk about some ways to find our motivation by releasing your creativity.

The Labor of Creativity and Making

Creativity, Life of a Maker

I recently read an article talking about the importance of labor and finding ways to express our creativity through what we make or build. It made me think about the importance of creativity and making for those of us that build, make or create items that are very personal and/or have an artistic touch to them. Many people have jobs where they make something. You can work in a factory where you build electronic devices or make a food product, but how many people get to work in a business where they make something extremely personal or something that takes fine craftsmanship?

Leather money clip with oak leaf carving designs.

While many people have daily jobs where they work in a factory and make something or a part of something, the jobs where people have true craftsman skills are much fewer and far between these days. For the most part, when things are made these days it’s in a mass production, factory oriented environment designed to efficiently make hundreds or thousands of a particular item. Often that item isn’t made to last a lifetime. It is functional but has a designed obsolescence and you will need to replace it in a few years. No thought is given to repairing it. If something goes wrong you replace it.

There used to be many crafts and trades that operated in a town and made products that were used locally by the people of the area. Those makers made the whole product from start to finish and they were judged on the quality and skill of that finished product. Their creativity came into play in the artistry or personalization they could build into the final product. Creativity and making went hand in hand. This was true if they were the local baker, a blacksmith, a shoe maker or someone from my industry, a leather worker. Just over a century ago, every town had someone who worked with leather and made harnesses or saddles for horses, because most work and transportation was done with horses. Someone who was skilled with leather was needed to build and maintain all that gear the horses needed.

Now those kind of skilled jobs are rare. You still find them in the construction trades (think carpenters and the like) but there aren’t that many jobs where an individual’s creativity and skill can be expressed in what they make. It’s something that is much rarer to find these days than it would have been a century ago. I feel lucky that I have my business as a way of expressing my artistic side and hand making items that are unique and often crafted for a specific individual.. It’s something that I feel very fortunate to be able to do, and it connects me to a time where a maker’s skill and craftsmanship were a badge of honor. I like to think it is still one today.

What Goes Into Making a Custom Leather Belt?

Creativity, Leather Carving, Leather Construction, Life of a Maker

The Artists Method (for Custom Leather Belts Anyway)

So you’re in the market for a custom leather belt? Wondering why they cost so much more than a belt from the department store? Read on.

Hand carved leather belt with floral design and silver and turquoise buckle

Having a belt custom made to your specification takes a surprising amount of work. This is especially true for the carved or stamped belts that I make.

Usually the process starts off with a question about making a belt with a specific kind of design. Maybe it’s a basket weave design or maybe something more complex like a floral carving. One of the first important questions is what length the belt has to be. There is a specific process I follow to make sure the belt is the right length for your waist and it goes beyond just knowing what size jeans you wear. People are usually surprised to find out their belt length is longer than their pants waist size!

Once we work out the belt dimensions it’s then a matter of determining the design. Sometimes this is easy as the customer is ordering a standard design from my shop such as one of my standard floral designs or a particular geometric design. But sometimes they are looking for something more custom. I’ve had a request for a grape vine design from someone that owned a vineyard. Or someone might want me to make a design that matches something else I’ve made for them like a carved notebook or wallet. In those cases I need to draw a belt design that will work on the size of belt they want and that matches their request.

A custom belt design including carving artwork and belt templates. — Custom belt being designed on my bench.

The width of the belt is a consideration too. Some people like wider belts and some like narrow belts. Or maybe they want something that is mostly wide but is tapered around the belt buckle. We can do that too, and those changes in width may need to be taken into account when designing the artwork for it.

And do they want it personalized? Maybe they want their name on the back or initials on the billet? Maybe they want their brand on the belt? These are all considerations when working with a customer to develop a custom belt for them.

So there are a lot of design steps and things to consider. This is what you are paying for when you work with a professional leather crafter who is making you a custom belt, and it is reflected in the price. But the end result should be a belt that will last you many years and that you will be happy to show off.

If you want your own custom leather belt, contact us now to get the process started! We would be happy to work with you!

Timeless Leather Decor for your Home

Creativity, Leather Carving

Remember Leather Decor?

I remember a long time ago traveling for work and staying in a small motel in central Kansas. The motel had a western / cattle drive theme and I distinctly remember the room having carved leather artwork and picture frames along with other kinds of western themed decor. I really liked the place and since I had to visit this customer several times I always made a point of staying at that same motel.

Hand Carved Leather Picture Frame

“Leather decor items are a timeless form of decoration for the home and they aren’t limited to western themes.”

This was all long before I knew anything about working with or carving leather. But it shows how I was interested in the western design motif and leather carving in general. As a fan of western history it all points to my eventually becoming a leather craftsman and my focus on western floral patterns.

So when I got a chance to make a leather decor item I jumped at it! A few year’s ago a customer requested a carved picture frame as a wedding gift. She was looking for a floral design with the happy couple’s brand centered on it. The final result is shown here and they were all thrilled with it.

It was a fun project and I’ve wanted to make more things like it. I have an end table in my house that needs the top redone and I want to make an all leather top for it with a carved design. One of these days I’m going to make the time to do this for myself.

Leather decor items are a timeless form of decoration for the home and they aren’t limited to western themes. When I was young it was more common to see leather decor items in homes. Usually they were not western themed though it make sense for the motel I was visiting. Often they were just meant to signify luxury. While I like western floral designs myself, there is no reason these designs can’t be Celtic, Victorian or any other theme you prefer for your decorating style.

If you have any ideas for a custom leather decor item you would like for your home, let me know. I’m always happy to work in a different style and I would be thrilled to make more items like this picture frame or a leather table runner. Just contact me and let me know what you have in mind. Together I think we can make a really cool family heirloom!

PS: Looking for a unique western motel?

Speaking of motels with a unique western history, try checking out Loveland Heights Cottages, These unique cabins are located along the Big Thompson River near Estes Part, CO. They have one, two, and three-bedroom cottages with fully equipped kitchens and many with decks that are right on the river. They are one of the best vacation values in the Rocky Mountains and I’m happy to have them as sponsors. Give them a call today to book your summer getaway!

Focusing on Your Work (as an Artist its Hard!)

Business, Creativity, Life of a Maker

I tend not to be the most organized person, as anyone who looks at my work bench would clearly see! Despite appearances though I do have a good idea where most things are and what I should be working on.

However for creative people especially it can be hard to stay focused and motivated to work on a specific product or customer order. On MANY occasions I’ve had trouble staying focused on a project that isn’t as exciting artistically as some of my past work, and it can make me easily distracted when another more enticing idea comes along. It is very easy for me to get distracted by seeing other’s work on social media like Instagram and thinking “What a cool idea!”

For artists and other creative people staying focused on tasks, especially if they are not a particularly creative task, can be hard because of the way our brain is wired. If your right brain is more dominant, meaning you’re more used to flexing your creative muscles, you will naturally gravitate towards those skills versus more left brain tasks that are more logical and analytical. If you are working on something that isn’t particularly artistic or creative, it can be easy to be side tracked from something that you don’t enjoy. Plus if you are like me, a good creative idea can jump in and disrupt whatever you are trying to concentrating on.

Focusing For Artists and Creatives

One of the easiest ways to fight this and stay on track is goal setting. Having written goals and reviewing them daily is a key way I keep on track and get projects done. When I’m struggling to move forward on a project, it’s usually because I’m not staying focused on my goals and I’m allowing myself to be distracted. Focusing for artists and creatives can sometimes be a difficult task. I’m as guilty as anyone else! Look a squirrel!

There are important steps to goal setting. First is knowing what you want to achieve. You have to know where you want to go before you can start a trip. Once you have a goal you have to have a plan. This is your map on how you are going to get where you want to go. Then Take Action! It’s no good having a plan or a map unless start the trip to reach your goal. If necessary break it down into smaller steps. And once you reach your goal review how it turned out and if necessary renew your goals.

Goal setting and staying focused on your goals is not always the easiest thing for someone who is creative. Let’s face it, the logical process of setting and focusing on goals isn’t always the strength of someone who is creative minded. But if you are an artist or creative who is operating as a freelancer or in your own business it’s important to keep on track, meet your goals and finish your project so it can be delivered to your customer. And in the end, shipping that project frees you up for your next creative project! That can be a reward in itself.

Carved leather pendant with wire wrapped bezel. — Leather Floral Pendant

Angled Leather Basket Stamping Tutorial. It’s Easy!

Creativity, Leather Stamping

When I published my Straight Basket Weave Tutorial I said that I planned on making the same kind of thing for Angled Basket Weave, and this is it. Angled basket stamping is actually what I use almost exclusively when doing leather basket stamping. So if you look at my work this is the technique you will see almost anytime I’m basket stamping a project.

Leather Basket Stamping

If you’re not familiar with the term, angled leather basket stamping means you are stamping your impressions at an angle but the centers of the impressions run at a straight line to the borders of the project. See the picture below for a visual of what I mean.

Leather belt with basket stamp design

On this belt the actual stamp impressions are at an angle but that angle is such that the basket weave design runs parallel to the length of the belt. There are a lot of ideas and techniques out there on how to do this. Sometimes people work out the precise angle the stamp needs to be held at to achieve this effect, they make templates of the angle, etc. Those techniques work but there is actually a very simple way to do this that works for every basket stamp and does NOT require any knowledge of trigonometry or using any special tools! In this case there really is one simple trick to lining the stamps up correctly.

I’ve done this tutorial differently than the last one. This time instead of a photo heavy blog post, I’ve created the tutorial as a PDF file that you can download. You don’t need to sign up for anything, just click the link below to download the file. Take a look at it and I think you’ll see it’s really easy to stamp angled basket weave. Grab a piece of scrap leather and give it a try. You’ll be stamping angled basket weaves like a pro in no time flat!

Download the tutorial here: Angled basket tutorial

As always if you have questions leave a comment here.

Jazz Up Your Wardrobe with Leather Money Clips!

Creativity, Leather Carving, Leather Stamping

Money Clips are an old idea. Historians say that the original idea for the money clip dates back to 323 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia where a clip was used to keep track of notes that described amounts of grain. These notes could be traded as a form of currency based in grain. The idea for holding the notes with a clip of some kind spread to other cultures and we’ve had variations on the money clip idea ever since.

The kind of money clip I specialize in is a kind of hybrid money clip and wallet combination. The clip for holding the bank notes is attached to a minimalist leather wallet that can hold several credit cards and an ID. But just because the wallet is minimalist doesn’t mean that it can’t have style or flair! Money clips like this can be made to show off any personality or style. From Celtic knots to sports teams, monograms or fantasy themes, money clips like this can be customized to almost any interest.

Carved leather money clip wallet with Celtic knot design — Money clip with Celtic knot design

Custom Leather Money Clips

I make many kinds of leather money clips and I’m happy to customize them to whatever fits your interests. From special artwork to monograms to inlays, I strive to bring a customer’s imagination into reality.

Not only can the artwork be made to your specification, but I can customize the money clip with your choice of interior or exterior pockets. Interior pockets can be decorated too, and even special sizes are an option. Just let me know what you are interested in.

If you have a special gift in mind for someone I can make that gift a reality. Custom designs based on your ideas are our specialty! Contact us to start making your special gift.

Custom Wallets and Money Clips

Creativity, Leather Carving, Leather Stamping

For the past few years custom wallets and money clips have been a big part of our business. People still enjoy having a wallet or money clip that matches their individuality. At C and B Leather we specialize in handmade leather items that are built to your specifications. Whether you want specific artwork on the outside, a special arrangement of pockets or a special size, let us know what you want and we will make our best effort to make it a reality!

One of the key benefits of having a wallet custom made is the quality you will receive as a result. Our wallets are made to last a lifetime out of the highest quality materials by a craftsman who cares about his results. These are not mass produced with the cheapest materials available. Each one is made specifically with you in mind,

We have many more wallets like this in our Etsy Shop! If you see something there you like but want it customized, contact us and let us know.

Custom Work for Past Customers

These are some examples of our past creations.

“This wallet looks spectacular and is made to last a lifetime!”

-a former customer.

Oak leaf money clip with customer’s initial on it.

Leather Bifold Wallet — Hand made bifold wallet.

Carved Leather wallet with Sunflower design — Minimalist wallet with sunflower design.

Made for your personality

We can make a wallet or money clip that shows off your interests and personality. Contact us with your ideas and we can make them a reality.

Quality to last a lifetime and beyond

All of our products are made with top quality leathers and they are made with a commitment to craftsmanship that is rare these days. While our products may cost more they will last you many many years beyond the typical big box store wallet or money clip.

Visit our shop!

On Etsy: C and B Leather